1999 Belmont Stakes: Charismatic
Triple Crown Stories; Lewis Colt Won Derby and Preakness
May 30, 2008 BarbaraAnne Helberg
In 1999, Thoroughbred racing focused on Charismatic, who was making one of several attempts that decade to win a Triple Crown championship. The strapping chestnut colt owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes and was prepared to race in the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the TC series for 3-year-olds. But misfortune lurked close behind Charismatic.
Trainer and Fans Benefit from Charismatic Hopes
Charismatic, a great grandson of the immortal Secretariat, had made trainer D. Wayne Lukas a four-time Derby winner and a twelve-time Triple Crown race winner. The Lewises were taking their second shot at a Triple Crown title. In 1997, their Silver Charm, trained by Bob Baffert, also won the Derby and the Preakness, but couldn't win the Belmont, finishing second to Touch Gold.
Charismatic commanded the highest attendance ever for the Belmont in 1999, as fans were hoping to see him crowned the first Triple champion since Affirmed in 1978. Menifee was again his biggest foe. In the two previous races, Menifee had claimed second place to the chestnut.
Silverbulletday Takes on The Boys
Jockey Jerry Bailey was aboard Silverbulletday, a sensational filly entrant expected to do well. Silverbulletday had won 11 of 12 races against her own gender. She was about as good as had been seen since Ruffian in 1975.
What she contributed to the race probably had a special effect. She set the pace, and Charismatic uncharacteristically took off after her. It was not Charismatic's style to race up front, but he stayed with the filly for over a mile of the 1-1/2 miles contest.
Finally, Silverbulletday began to fade, exhausted from the strong, early run. Chris Antley, piloting Charismatic, had been unable to bring the chestnut back from the pace. Just after the filly gassed out, Charismatic began to lose traction, as well.
Lemon Drop Kid and Vision and Verse were storming from behind the leaders and gaining lengths. With 1/4 mile to race, Jose Santos, guiding Lemon Drop Kid, asked the Kid to gear up. He did. Forging toward the wire from the middle of the lane, Lemon Drop Kid passed Charismatic and the wire to become the second non-Derby and non-Preakness entrant to win the Belmont Stakes.
Charismatic Pulls Up Just Under the Wire
At the eighth pole, Antley said later, he first felt Charismatic lose ground. But it wasn't the pace that slowed the chestnut. It was a snapped condylar and fractured sesamoid bones. Antley pulled the Derby champ up just after the wire appeared overhead. He slid off his mount, and felt both the horse's front legs, then held the shattered left one and waited for help.
The Belmont Stakes, the Triple Crown, and his racing career were over for Charismatic. His injuries, however, as reported by Dr. Larry Bramlage, weren't life-threatening. He mended to stand at stud.
Few race fans could remember the name of the winning contestant...a la in the 2006 Preakness when Barbaro broke down and Bernardini swept to the title. As Antley philosophically claimed at the 1999 Belmont, "the game goes on."
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